Coaches

Laurie Rice: Head Coach

(sprints)

Email: lrice@dcsdk12.org

Laurie Rice has been at Douglas County since 2020. She is also an English teacher. Her husband, Eric Rice, is the head football coach at DCHS. She and Eric have three kids (Hayley is in 10th grade, Chaz is in 7th grade, and Payton is 6).

Prior to coaching at DCHS, Laurie served as an assistant coach (sprints) at Fort Collins High School. In that time, she was on staff for 4 state championship teams (boys in 2006 and 2012; girls in 2014 and 2016). She also helped coach multiple state champions (in both individual events and relays) and the current state record holder in the boys 100m.

Her coaching career also includes 26 years running a youth program (ages 3-16) for Colorado Association of Recreational Athletics (CARA). In that time, she has served for 23 years as the coaches' state chairperson.

Laurie graduated from Penn State University with a degree in English. During that time, she was a full-scholarship athlete who competed for four years in the sprints. She was a two-time team captain for the Nittany Lions and is on the still-standing 4x100m school record (44.25).

As a high school athlete, Laurie competed for Fort Collins High School. While there, she was a two-time individual state champion in the 400m (5A). She anchored two state championship relays (4x400m and 800m medley relay). Additionally, she finished 2nd in the 100m and 200m at the state meet her senior year. Laurie still holds the school records for both the 100m (11.91) and 200m (24.13) at FCHS. As a senior, Laurie helped her team win the first 5A girls' track and field team title in the history of the school.

Jake Swords: Head Coach

(distance)

Email: jswords@dcsdk12.org

Jake Swords has been at Douglas County since 2018. He is also the head cross country coach.

Prior to moving to Colorado in the summer of 2018, he spent 2 years coaching at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio where he focused on the middle distance and distance athletes.

Jake graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor Degree in Communications and a minor is Sport Administration. While at Kent State, Jake achieved success at the conference level and beyond. Focusing on middle distance events, Jake earned All-Conference 6 times and won 3 conference titles. He has 5 Kent State All-Time top 5 performances in school history including number 2 All-Time in the 800m run. In 2013 he qualified for the NCAA Championship Preliminary Round, USA Championships and achieved a top 50 ranking for Americans in the 800m with a time of 1:48.13. While at Kent State he served as the Men's Track and Field representative for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee for 3 years.

Prior to becoming a Golden Flash, Jake was in the spotlight as one of the nation's premier high school runners. While attending St. Vincent- St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, Jake saw success in Cross Country and Track & Field. Over the course of his high school career, Swords won 5 State titles (Individual/Team) and 2 State Runner-Up titles. He was an 8 time All-State athlete and still holds 4 school records including a 1:50.9 (800m) and 7:44 (4x800m) both of which are top 3 All-Time in the State of Ohio. His senior year was capped off by 6th and 7th place finishes at New Balance Nationals and having the 6th fastest 800m time in the country by a high school athlete that year.

Ryan Buresh (hurdles)

Email: rburesh@dcsdk12.org

Ryan Buresh has been coaching track at Douglas County for three years. He oversees the hurdlers and assists with the sprinters. In addition, he is also the offensive coordinator for the football team and the varsity girls assistant basketball coach.

Coaching is a passion for Coach Buresh. It was instilled in him from a young age by both of his parents who have been coaches for over 30 years.

In his time as a track athlete, he was fortunate enough to win a State Championship from one of the all time greats in Kansas, Norma Finnesy, and mold his coaching style a lot after hers. The three key standards in his coaching philosophy: toughness, consistent competition, and preparing the kids to handle any and all adversity life will throw their way.

Stephon Roddey (jumps)

Stephon Roddey is beginning his second year coaching the horizontal jumps at Douglas County, but it will be his 8th year coaching overall. Previously, he helped Grandview High School achieve their first Track and Field State Championship Title 2017. This title would usher in the talent and dedication to earn back to back state titles in 2021 and 2022 under the tutelage of Head Coach John Reyes.

Having been a former high school athlete himself, Stephon is able to connect with kids not only as a coach, but as a mentor and a role model. Stephon’s credentials stem through a 3-year high school track career as a long and triple jumper in which he has set his school's Junior Triple Jump Record, qualified and placed in State for both jumps, and was the Colorado State Champion in the long Jump his junior year

Mathew Titus (distance)

Email: mtitus@dcsdk12.org

Mathew Titus is starting his first year coaching track at Douglas County, after moving to Colorado this past year from Michigan. He has coached cross country and track for a total of six years and will be one of the assistant distance coaches at DC. He also teaches Social Studies at Douglas County.

Coach Titus participated in several different sports in high school, earning a varsity letter all four years in cross country and track. As well as obtaining all state honors in the 4x800 relay and finishing 2nd place as a team in cross country his senior year. After high school, he ran for three years at Florida Gulf Coast University, where he pursued a degree in Secondary Education. He has always enjoyed helping people and building meaningful relationships, so coaching has been a great fit.

Adam Gray (pole vault)

Adam Gray is beginning his second year coaching pole vault at Douglas County. Adam, and his wife Mary, have 3 amazing kids--two of which attend DCHS and their youngest at Mesa Middle School. They moved to Castle Rock a year ago and absolutely love it.

As a high school athlete, Adam competed for Platte Canyon High School and was a 3-sport letterman (football, wrestling, and track). Adam qualified for state in 4 individual events his junior year and finished 1st in the long jump, 2nd in 100m, 2nd in the pole vault. Due to a devastating leg injury his senior year playing football, he was only able to compete at a high level in his favorite event, the pole vault. Adam persevered through a painful and challenging season and reached his goal to became the 4A state champion. He broke 5 school records during his high school career and still holds the school record in the pole vault.

Sophie Frick (throws)

Sophie Frick is beginning her first full year assisting as a throws coach with the DC Track and Field program. Coach Frick graduated from Douglas County High School in 2022, where she competed as a varsity multi-sport athlete, competing for all four years of her career in track and field. She competed in shot put as well as discus and had the opportunity to compete in the girls shot put state championship.

Sophie has two younger siblings who still attend Douglas County, as well as an older sister who graduated in 2020.

Encouraging hard work on the track, as well as in the classroom while maintaining good team morale and a feeling of togetherness will be her main focus moving into this season.

Wes Woolbright (throws)

Email: swoolbright@dcsdk12.org

Wes Woolbright is in his 2nd year coaching track and field at Douglas County. He is also on the DC football staff. Coach Woolbright has been a Castle Rock resident since 2008. He is originally from Texas where he was a varsity multi-sport athlete. He later served 6 years in the military.

Wes is married and has two boys in the DCSD school system. He has coached multiple youth athletics teams since 2010. Wes has also been a youth mentor for 10 years.

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